Black-footed tree-rat | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Muridae |
Genus: | Mesembriomys |
Species: | M. gouldii |
Binomial name | |
Mesembriomys gouldii (Gray, 1843) [1] | |
Synonyms | |
Hapalotis hirsutusGould, 1842 |
The black-footed tree-rat (Mesembriomys gouldii), also known as Djintamoonga, [2] is one of two endemic Australian rodent species in the genus Mesembriomys. Both the black-footed tree-rat and its congener, the golden-backed tree-rat ( M. macrurus ), are found in northern Australia. The species is one of the largest murids found in Australia. [3]
Haematological and blood chemistry research has been performed on the black-footed tree-rat to aid in the captive and natural management of Australian native murids held in captivity for conservation purposes. [4]
The tree-rat has a greyish-brown coat that is shaggy and coarse and has a creamy white underbelly. The hind feet are black with well developed pads and strong sharp claws. They have large ears and a long tail with a brush of white hair at the tip. [3] They grow to a mass of 830 grams (29 oz). [5] The head and body length of the tree-rat is typically 250 to 308 millimetres (9.8 to 12.1 in) with a tail length of 100 to 130 millimetres (3.9 to 5.1 in). [6] [7]
Three subspecies of the black-footed tree-rat have been recognised, based on minor morphological differences in skull and foot shape, as well as variation in colouration. Research into the population genomics of the species agrees with the subspecific delimitation, [8] with the Gulf of Carpentaria separating the Queensland subspecies from the other mainland subspecies found in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The third subspecies is found on Melville Island in the Northern Territory.
The black-footed tree-rat is typically solitary and nocturnal, although multiple individuals can sometimes be found denning in the same hollow or fallen log. [9] Individuals are semi-arboreal, but spend time on the ground foraging or moving between trees. The species typically shelters in tree hollows (typically Eucalyptus miniata or E. tetrodonta) and pandanus stands during the day. [5] [6] [9]
Individuals have a mean home range area of about 40 hectares, although this can vary considerably. [10] [11]
It is a folivore and frugivore and its diet may be supplemented by invertebrates such as termites and molluscs.
Mesembriomys gouldii has a range extending from the savannahs of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland westward to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. [6] Habitats such as tropical woodlands or open forest are suitable for the tree rat, [5] although it persists well in the more complex coastal vine thickets and closed forests. It is not common in many areas and many geographic regions show substantial population declines. One study in the Northern Territory found that the extent of occurrence had declined by over 30% compared to the pre-European distribution, and that breadth of occupied environmental space had declined by over 40%. [12] The same study observed that the species was contracting to areas of higher rainfall, milder temperatures, and higher vegetation complexity than it was present in historically.
Genetic estimation of effective population size trajectories in four black-footed tree-rat populations showed that most populations are undergoing severe declines, although the population around the city of Darwin in the Northern Territory appears to have been more stable. [8]
The estimated global population is 30,000, [6] although the distribution and density is poorly known in Western Australia and Queensland, where records are far more sparse.
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The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
The northern quoll, also known as the northern native cat, the North Australian native cat or the satanellus is a carnivorous marsupial native to Australia.
The northern brown bandicoot, a marsupial species, is a bandicoot found only on the northern and eastern coasts of Australia and nearby islands, mainly Papua New Guinea. It is not, however, found far inland.
Threatened fauna of Australia are those species and subspecies of birds, fish, frogs, insects, mammals, molluscs, crustaceans, and reptiles to be found in Australia that are in danger of becoming extinct. This article lists species classified as threatened species under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The eastern woodrat, also known as the Florida woodrat or bush rat, is a pack rat native to the central and Eastern United States. It constructs large dens that may serve as nests for many generations and stores food in outlying caches for the winter. While widespread and not uncommon, it has declined or disappeared in several areas.
The white-footed dunnart is a marsupial that occurs on Tasmania and mainland Australia. It occurs along the coast and in inner Gippsland and Alpine areas up to 400 metres near Narbethong. In southern New South Wales, the white-footed dunnart is known to occur at elevations at least as high as 1000 metres. The length from snout to tail tip is 14–20 cm (5.5–7.9 in) of which head and body are 7–11 cm (2.8–4.3 in) and the tail 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in) long. They weigh 19–27 g (0.67–0.95 oz).
The golden bandicoot is a short-nosed bandicoot found in northern Australia. It is the smallest of its genus, and is distinguished from the brown bandicoots by its golden colouring and much smaller size.
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The pale field rat is a small rat endemic to Australia. It is a nocturnal and herbivorous rodent that resides throughout the day in shallow burrows made in loose sand. Once widespread, its range has become greatly reduced and it is restricted to the grasslands, sedges, and cane-fields at the north and east of the continent. Its fur is an attractive yellow-brown colour, with grey or cream at the underside. This medium-sized rat has a tail shorter than its body.
The brush-tailed rabbit rat is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is found in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The greater stick-nest rat, also known as the housebuilding rat and wopilkara, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. They are about the size of a small rabbit and construct large nests of interwoven sticks. Once widespread across southern Australia, the population was reduced after European colonisation to a remnant outpost on South Australia's Franklin Islands. The species has since been reintroduced to a series of protected and monitored areas, with varying levels of success.
Mesembriomys is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Australia. It contains the following species:
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The rufous owl, also known as the rufous boobook, is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It was described in 1846 by John Gould, an English ornithologist. Its common name reflects the rufous-coloured feathers that these owls are covered with in adulthood. While it is uncommon, the species has a wide range, including Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
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M. gouldii may refer to:
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